Method and means for circular multi-feed knitting



Nov. 26, 1963 H. R. BRANSON 3, 3

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CIRCULAR MULTI-FEED KNITTING Filed Aug. 14, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet. l

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CIRCULAR MULTI-FEED KNITTING Nov. 26, 1963 H. R.BRANSON Filed Aug 14, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q Q QM w mlwmlmwi- Q2 E?igiggii .H: & mgm ggflgwg M 3%; w 5@ 3 5% iiimg i; ,5 f i i f Nov, 26, 1963H. R. BRANSON METHOD AND MEANS FOR CIRCULAR MULTI-FEED KNITTING 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 14, 1957 lbq- HERMAN R. BRAN SON,

5m, BY

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 26, 1963 H. R. BRANSON 3,111,826

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CIRCULAR MULTI-FEED KNITTING Filed Aug. 14, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet 5 F l 6. l6.

INV EN TOR.

HERMAN R. BRANSON United States Patent 3,111,826 METI-IGD AND MEANS FUR(IIRIIULAR MUL'II-FEED KNITTING Herman R. llranson, Snow Camp, N.C.,assiguor to S. 3; S. Hosiery Mills, Graham, Nail, a partnership FiledAug. I4, 1957, Ser. No. 678,294 6 tjlairns. (Cl. 66-42) This inventionrelates generally to circular knitting machines adapted to knit tubularfabric, such as ladies seamless hosiery, adapted to knit a single coursewith each rotation of the needle cylinder in some portions of the hoseand to knit two or more courses with each rotation of the needlecylinder in other portions of the hosiery.

Heretofore, knitting machines have been provided with removableauxiliary knitting stations in addition to the main feeding station forknitting multiple courses with each rotation of the needle cylinder. Inthis type of machine, portions of the stocking, such as the welt, heeland toe, have been knit single feed at the main feeding station only,and the auxiliary knitting station introduced during the knitting of theleg and foot to knit these portions two courses with each rotation ofthe needle cylinder. The use of both knitting stations during the legand foot portions of the stocking greatly increases the production ofthe knitting machine. Difficulties in the form of openings, eyelets orcat-eyes have been experienced when introducing and removing theauxiliary knitting station. When introducing the auxiliary knittingstation, two courses must be knit where one course was formerly knit andthe openings or cat-eyes are formed at this point because the free orleading end of the auxiliary yarn has not been properly tied into thefabric prior to starting the two-course knitting. The openings orcat-eyes also appear when the auxiliary knitting station is removed.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide animproved machine and method for tying the leading and trailing ends ofthe auxiliary yarn into the stitch loops formed by the yarn fed at themain knitting station to prevent the formation. of openings, eyelets orcat-eyes when two-course knitting is started and ended.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel method oftying the leading and trailing ends of an auxiliary yarn into the knitfabric prior to and after making independent courses of stitch loopswith the auxiliary yarn. The novel method of introducing the auxiliaryyarn including knitting the leading end of the auxiliary yarnsimultaneously with a few needles as the main yarn is knit at the mainknitting station, knitting the auxiliary yarn independently on alternateneedles only for a few needles, and knitting the auxiliary yarninedpendently on all subsequent needles. The novel method of removingthe auxiliary yarn including knitting the auxiliary yarn independentlyon all needles, knitting the auxiliary yarn independently on alternateneedles only for a few needles, and removing the auxiliary yarn not kniton any subsequent needles.

t is a more specific object of this invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for controlling the raising and lowering of the needles inthe cylinder at the auxiliary knitting station wherein the needles inthe cylinder are arranged according to the lengths of their butts in amanner to cooperate with the auxiliary knitting station when theauxiliary yarn is introduced to and removed from the fabric and toprovide a novel two-level needle raising cam in advance of the auxiliaryknitting station. The two-level needle raising cam is operative tocooperate with the varying length butts on the needles and the movementof the auxiliary knitting station into operative position to securelytie the leading end of the auxiliary yarn into the fabric upon itsintroduction and to securely 3,111,826 Patented Nov. 26, 1963 tie thetrailing end of the auxiliary yarn into the fabric upon its removal.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of theupper portion of a circular knitting machine embodying the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along the line 2-2in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged end elevation of the outside of the auxiliarystitch cam block taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the auxiliary stitch cam block shown inFIGURE 3 and being removed from the knitting machine;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the auxiliarystitch cam and being taken substantially along the line 55' in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a rear view of a ladys stocking illustrat ing its appearancewhen worn;

FIGURE 7 is a somewhat schematic developed view of the needle cams andyarn feeding stations which surround the needle cylinder, as thoughlooking outwardly from inside the needle cylinder, and showing the pathof travel of the needles during regular two feed knitting;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portions of the fabricindicated at the dotted rectangles 3 in FIGURE 6 to illustrate the novelmethod of tying in the auxiliary yarn at the beginning of two feedknitting and showing the relative positions of the hooks of the cylinderneedles when they pass the auxiliary feeding station;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 99 in- FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the needleshedding cam and being taken substantially along the line Itl1h inFIGURE 4;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line III1 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged isometric view of the needle raising campositioned between the main stitch cams and the auxiliary stitch cams;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary schematic view of the needle cams shown inthe left-hand portion of FIGURE 7 and showing the path travelled by thevarious needles during the introduction of the auxiliary yarn at theauxiliary knitting station;

FIGURE 14 is a schematic horizontal sectional view through the needlecylinder and showing the lengths of the butts on the needles and theirarrangement in the needle cylinder;

FIGURE 15 is a diagrammatic horizontal section illustrating one phase ofoperation; and

FIGURE 16 is a diagrammatic section taken on the radial plane In-Iii ofFIGURE 15.

Referring to the drawings, the knitting machine is provided with theusual bed plate 2% 'm which a conventional needle cylinder 21 is mountedfor rotation or reciprocation. The needle cylinder 21 is driven, attimes, to rotate and at other times to reciprocate in the usual mannerby conventional means, not shown, and is provided with vertical slots inwhich a plurality of cylinder needles, indicated broadly at N (FIGURE 7)are adapted to have vertical sliding movement. Alternate cylinderneedles N have needle raising jacks, broadly indicated at J, p ositionedtherebeneath and which are provided to raise the alternate needlesduring the make-up, in a conventional manner.

The knitting machine is also provided with the usual sinker cap 25(FIGURES 1 and 2.) attached to the upper end of the needle cylinder 21and in which the usual sinkers S are mounted to cooperate with theneedles during vertical movement to form stitches with the yarn fed tothe needles. A latch ring 26 is spaced above the sinker cap 25 and ispivotally mounted at its rear end on the upper end of a pivot post 27(FIGURE 2), the lower end of which is fixed on the bed plate 2%. Thefront end of the latch ring 26 is releasably supported on the upper endof a sinker cap stop post 36, the lower end of which is fixed on the bedplate 2%.

A dial 35 (FIGURE 2) is supported inside of the latch ring 26 and isprovided with a plurality of radially movable transfer hooks, not shown,which are used to make the turned welt of the stocking in a conventionalmanner. The dial 35 also supports a conventional yarn clamp and cutterdevice 36 which is adapted to cut the yarns as they are moved out ofknitting position and hold the yarn ends extending from the yarn feedingfingers. The transfer hooks in the dial 35 are rotated in a conventionalmanner through dial driving gears, mounted in a dial drive gear housing4% shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1.

The latch ring 26 is provided with a main yarn feeding throat opening 42(FIGURES 2, 7 and 13) in which main yarn feeding fingers 44, 45, 46 and47 are mounted and an auxiliary throat opening '43 in which auxiliaryyarn feeding fingers t and 51 are mounted. The main yarn feeding fingers4 4 through 47 are oscillatably mounted as at 54 (FIGURE 1) on anupstanding portion of the latch ring 26 and are engaged by the upper endof a plurality of yarn feed finger thrust rods 55 which extenddownwardly therefrom to pass through a cut-out portion at the rear ofthe bed plate 20 and the lower ends thereof are adapted to, at times,engage and be raised by cams, not shown, on a main pattern drum 6%. Thepattern drum 66 is adapted to be moved in a conventional step-by-stepmanner under control of the conventional pattern chain, not shown. Thepattern drum 60 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 61, the outer end ofwhich is suitably suported by the lower end of a bracing member 62 andthe upper end of the member 62 is fixed on a plate 63. The plate 63(FIGURES 1 and 2) is suitably secured to the lower rear surface of thebed plate 20.

The auxiliary yarn feeding fingers 5d and 51 are oscillatabiy mounted asat 65 (FIGURE 1) on an upstanding portion of the latch ring '26 and theouter or free ends are engaged by one end of respective finger operatinglevers 66 and 67. The levers 66 and 67 are oscillatably mountedintermediate their ends on the outer end of a horizontally disposed post70 (FIGURES 1 and 2), the inner end of which is fixed in the latch ringThe rear ends of the levers 66 and 67 have suitable pins therein whichare engaged by the upper ends of respective thrust rods 71 and 72(FIGURE 2). The lower ends of the thrust rods 71 and 72 are adapted toengage and, at times, be raised by cams, not shown, on the pattern drum66 to move the auxiliary yarn feeding fingers 5d and 51 out of operativeor yarn feeding position.

Referring to FIGURE 7, the various cams for acting upon the butts of theneedles N include a fixed cam ring broadly designated at 74 and which issupported to surround the needle cylinder 21 in the bed plate 29 by aneedle cam supporting ring, not shown, fixed on the bed plate 20. Thefixed cam ring 74 comprises a ring cam 75, a cam 76, a cam 77, a cam 76,a removable jack gate cam 80, and a two-leveled end cam 82 which ispeculiar to this invention and will be later described in detail(FIGURES 7 and 12). The cams 76 and '77 are cut away at their junctureto accommodate a conventional jack raising cam 85. A conventionalwidening picker 86 is pivotally mounted in the sinker cap stop post 30and is movable from operable to inoperable position in a conventionalmanner. The widening picker $6 is adapted to he moved, when in operativeposition, into a Widening needle leveling cam 96 fixed on the sinker capstop post 36.

The machine is also provided with conventional movable cams which aremovable into and out of operative position .to engage the butts of theneedles extending outwardly from the needle cylinder and which include aswitching needle lowering cam 5, a switching needle raising cam 96, aneedle lowering transfer cam Q7, a pair of cooperating needle raisingand lowering dividing cams 1% and mi, and a needle lowering earn 102.The transfer cam 7 is used in cooperation with dial cams, not shown,when transferring the stitches held on the dial hooks back to thecylinder needles after knitting the required length of fabric to formthe turned welt at the top of the hose. The needle raising and loweringdividing cams 1%, Illll cooperate with each other to cause selected onesof the needles to pass through the stitch earn-s at the main knittingstation and other needles to pass beneath the stitch cams during themake-up or start of a new hose. The needle raising switch cam 96 is usedto switch or raise part of the needles in the needle cylinder out ofaction above the stitch cams at the beginning of reciprocatory knittingin the heel and toe pockets and the needle lowering switch cam is usedto switch or lower the raised needles back into action so they willagain pass through the stitch cams upon completion of the heel and toepockets.

The needle cams also include -a main set of stitch cams comprising a topcenter cam 110, a bottom center earn 111, a right-hand stitch cam 112, aleft-hand stitch cam 113, and a needle butt landing cam 114 positionedbeneath the left-hand stitch cam 113. A pair of conventional narrowingpicks 116 and 117 adapted to work in conjunction with the right-hand andleft-hand stitch cams 112, 113 to progressively decrease the number ofneedles knitting during reciprocatory knitting, such as during the heeland toe pockets.

The main set of stitch cams are positioned directly therebeneath themain throat opening 42 (FIGURE 7) and both of which may be defined as afirst or main knitting station, broadly indicated at 126. The mainknitting station 126 will draw stitches with all needles whose buttsapproach the knitting station at an elevation low enough to engage thetop center cam 116 so as to be guided downwardly to stitch drawing levelby either the right-hand stitch cam 112 or the left-hand stitch cam 113.

A second or auxiliary knitting station, broadly indicated at 125,includes the auxiliary yarn feeding throat opening 43 as well as aremovable auxiliary needle lowering stitch cam 12.6, a needle raisingshedding cam 127 and a needle butt landing cam 13% positioned beneaththe stitch cam 126. The cams 12-6, 127 and 136 are mounted for radialmovement, relative to the needle cylinder 21 in a cam block 13 2 fixedon the bed piate 20.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, it will be observed that the auxiliarystitch cam 126 and the needle landing cam 130 are both suitably securedto the inner end of a slide or stem 13-3 slidably mounted in the camblock 132 which is normally urged inwardly toward the needle cylinder 21by a pair of compression springs 134, FIG- URE 5. The inner ends of thecompression springs 134 bear against the outer end of the slide 133 andthe outer ends of the springs 13d bear against a plate 135 suitablysecured to the outer surface of the cam block 132. The inner end of acontrol link 136 is suitably secured to the lower outer portion or" theslide 133 (FIGURE 5) and extends outwardly, through the plate 135, andis bent upwardly to accommodate an adjustment screw 14-9 threadablymounted therein. The adjustment screw 146* may be adjusted to restrictthe inward movement of the auxiliary stitch cam 126 and landing cam 13%.

The slide 133, along with the auxiliary stitch cam T26 and landing camHit), is, at times, moved outwardly away from the needle cylinder Ed, bya control lever 142 oscillatably mounted as at 142a on the control link1 36. One end of the lever 142 bears against the plate 135 and the otherend thereof has one end or" a control rod 143 connected thereto (FIGURESl and 2). The other end of the control rod 143 is oscillatably connectedto the upper end of a bell crank 144 (FIGURE 1) oscillatably mountedintermediate tis ends on a fixed shaft 145 and the opposite free end ofthe bell crank 144 has an operating pin 14:6 fixed therein. The pin 146engages a cut-out in e medial portion of a thrust rod 147, the lower endof which at times engages the periphcry of the main pattern drum 60 andat other times engages stepped cams 158 and 151, fixed on the drum 6%.

A second bell crank 155 is oscillatably mounted on the shaft 145 and isoperated by a second thrust rod, not shown, and has one end of aconnecting rod .156 oscillatably connected thereto and the opposite endof which is connected to the outer end of a bell crank 157 (FIGURES 2, 3and 4). The bell crank 157 is oscillaitably mounted as at 158 on theupper end of a post 159, the lower end of which is fixed in the bedplate 20. The opposite end of the bell crank 157 straddles and engagesan upstanding control pin 16%, the lower end of which is threadablymounted in the medial portion of a stem 161 mounted for radial slidingmovement in the cam block 132 and on the inner end of which the sheddingcam 127 is fixed. The outer end of the stem 161 is bent downwardly andis threadably penetrated by an adjusting screw 162, the inner end ofwhich at times engages the cam block 132. to restrict inward movement ofthe shedding cam 127. The lower medial portion of the stem 161 has theupper end of a pin 16% fixed therein and the lower end of which isengaged by one end of a compression spring @164, the opposite end ofwhich bears against a threaded plug M5 mounted in the cam block 132.Thus, the shedding earn 127 is normally resiliently urged inwardlytoward the needle cylinder .21 by the compression spring 164 and attimes is moved outwardly to inoperative or to partially inoperativeposition by the bell crank 157 to engage selected needle butts.

The movable cam 13 2 is also mounted for radial movement inwardly andoutwardly from the needle cylinder 21 in the cam block 132 and is fixedon the inner end of a stem 176. The stem 170 is slidably mounted in thecam block 132 and the outer end is turned downwardly with a limitingadjustment screw 171 threadably mounted therein and the inner end ofwhich is adapted to at times engage the outer surface of the cam block132. The cam 102 is normally resiliently moved into close proximity withthe needle cylinder 21 by a compression spring .172 (FIGURE 11), one endof which bears against a sleeve member 173 and the opposite end of thespring 172 engages the bottom of a bore in the cam block 132. The cam162 is at times moved outwardly from the needle cylinder 21 by a bellcrank 1'75 (FIGURES 2 and 4), the inner end of which straddles orencircles the upper portion of a pin 1'76 fixed at its lower end in thestem 17%. The bell crank 175 is oscillatably mounted intermediate itsends as at 177 on the cam block 132 and its outer end is oscillatablyconnected to one end of a control rod 189 which extends rearwardly andis connected at its other end to the upper end of a bell crank 1821(FIGURE 1), identical to the bell cranks 144 and 155 and is operated bya thrust rod, controlled by the main pattern drum.

As is well known, the sinkers, not shown, in the sinker cap 25 must bemoved outwardly from their normal fabric-engaging position when a yarnis fed to the needles, as the needles are drawn to stitch drawing level,and then moved inwardly to shed the loops from the needles before theneedles are again raised with the new loop thereon. This is usuallyaccomplished by a sinker cam, not shown, mounted in the sinker cap 25and above the main knitting station 120 and the auxiliary knittingstation 12-5. When the auxiliary knitting station 1 25 is moved tostitch drawing position, it is necessary to move the sinker withdrawingcam to operative position. The sinker withdrawing cam, not shown, isfixed on the inner end of a sinker pull-back arm (FIGURES l, 2 and 3)and the outer end of which has a downwardly depending p-in 186 fixedtherein and which is engaged by one end of a control rod 137. The otherend of the control rod 187 is fixed onthe upper end of a sleeve 190(FIGURE 3) which is oscillatably mounted on a post 7191, the lower endof which is fixed in the upper surface of the cam block 132. The lowerend of the sleeve 190 has one end of an outwardly extending arm 192fixed thereon and the free end of which has one end of a control rod 1%oscillatably mounted therein. The other end of the control rod 193 issuitably connected to the upper end of a 'bell crank 195, which isoscillatably mounted intermediate its ends on the shaft 1-4-5 and thebell crank 1% is controlled through a thrust rod by the main patterndrum 6%).

It is with a knitting machine of the type thus far described that thepresent invention is adapted to be associated and all of the partsheretofore described, with the exception of the two-level end cam 82,are conventional parts of a Scott & Williams Model K knitting machinewhich has been modified, by the addition of the auxiliary feedingstation 125 and which machine is commercially available.

The present invention comprises the novel arrangement of the cylinderneedles in the needle cylinder 21 according to the lengths of the buttson the needles, the manner of moving the auxiliary shedding cam 127 andauxiliary stitch cam 126 into and out of operative position, and the useof the two-level needle raising cam 82'.

p The particular needle cylinder shown (FIGURE 14) is grooved toaccommodate a total of 400 needles N arranged in eight alphabeticalgroups A through H. The needles N are designated according to thelengths of their butts, there being needles of five diiferent buttlengths.

The needles which have the longest butts are designated at LN, that isthe needles whose butts extend further out of the grooves of the needlecylinder 21 than do the butts of any of the other needles belowdescribed. The needles having the next shorter butts are designated atMLN, the needles having the next shorter butts designated at MN, theneedles having the next shorter butts designated MSN and the needleshaving the shortest butts designated at SN.

The group A includes 200 LN needles, group B includes 15 M'LN needles,the group C includes 15 MN needles alternating with 15 SN needles for atotal of 30 needles, the group D includes 55 SN needles, the group Bincludes 3 MSN needles alternating with 3 SN needles for a total of 6needles, the group P includes 3 MN needles alternating with 3 SN needlesfor a total of 6 needles, the group G includes 73 MN needles, and thegroup H includes 15 MLN needles.

Referring to FIGURES 7, l2 and 13, it will be noted that the two-levelneedle raising end cam 82 has a needle raising surface 206 which isinclined upwardly and which terminates at a high or first level 291. Theinner upper portion of the cam 82 is out away to provide a low or secondneedle raising level 2%2. The cut away portion of the cam is sufficientto allow any short butt needles SN which ride up the inclined surface260 to level off at the low or second level 2 02 and all other needleswill lie raised up the inclined surface 20% to the high or first level2%. Thus, as the successive needle butts engage and ride up thetwo-level cam 82, all of the needles in the needle cylinder except theshort butt needles SN will be raised up the inclined surface 209 andreleased at the high level 201 while the short butt needles SN will rideup the inclined surface 200 and be released at the low level 262. Thehigh level 2&1 may be termed an auxiliary yarn receiving level since thehooks of the needles raised to the level Ztll are raised high enough topick up the auxiliary yarn fed at the throat opening 43 and the hooks ofthe needles raised to the level 262 are not raised high enough to pickup the auxiliary yarn.

fl/Iethod of Operation A ladys seamless stocking such as is indicated atS FIGURE 6) is ordinarily knit by first knitting a turned welt 210 witha relatively heavy yarn on the order of 40 denier nylon. In starting thestocking S, the shedding cam l-.27 and auxiliary stitch cam 12.6 as wellas the auxiliary yarn feeding fingers and 5d are in withdrawn orinoperative position and the make-up is made by dividing the needleswith the dividing cam 1% so that alternate needles pass over theright-hand stitch cam 1 12, engage the center cam Mil, pick up the yarnw from yarn feeding finger 46, and then draw the yarn down as the needlebuts are lowered by the left-hand stitch earn 113 while-the butts ofintervening needles pass below the righ hand stitch earn 112 so thatthey do not pick up the yarn w. During t s make-up, conventionaltransfer hooks, not shown in the dial 65, are moved outwardly over theintervening needles to receive and hold the yarn w until completion ofthe desired length of fabric has been knit to form the turned welt 21%.After the make-up courses are made, all or" the needles draw stitches atthe main knitting station 12% and when the desired length has been knit,single feed, the intervening cylinder needles are raised and the yarn,held on the transfer hooks, in the dial is transferred back to thecylinder needles to form a tubular welt Still at the top of the stockingS.

Rotary knitting is continued to form an after-welt 21% with the yarn w.After completing the after-welt 211, it is the conventional practice tochange the yarn feeding fingers at the main throat opening 42 (FIGURES 7and 8) so that the leg 212 of the stocking S may be knit with a lightyarn. This is usually accomplished by moving a yarn feeding finger suchas the finger 47 into operative position which is threaded to feed amain body yarn in, such as denier nylon. With both the yarn feedingfingers 46 and 47 in feeding or operative position, the needles passingthrough the main knitting station 120' will pick up and knit stitchloops with both yarns w and m, such as those indicated in needle walesW-l through Vii-.24 in course C-2 of the fabric illustrated in FIGURE 8.These two yarns may be knitted together for as long as is desired, inthis case for nine needles, in order to tie the two yarns togetherbefore the heavy denier yarn w is removed by raising the yarn feedingfinger 46 t0 inoperative position and clipping the end of the yarn as itis passed across the dial by the clipping mechanism 36.

in order to increase the speed of knitting the leg 212 of the stockingS, the auxiliary feeding station 12-5 is moved into operative positionduring the formation of the stitch loops in course 0-2. in order toprevent the formation of openings, eyelets or cat-eyes at the point atwhich two-course knitting commences, a novel method has been proy idedfor introducing an auxiliary yarn to start twocourse or multiple courseknitting from single course knitting. Two-course knitting is started bymoving the yarn feeding finger 5i) into operative position while the SNneedles in group D are passing the throat opening 43 and the sinkerwithdrawing cam, not shown, is moved to operative position at the sametime. The feeding finger is threaded with an auxiliary yarn a, such as15 denier nylon yarn. The yarn a will not be picked up by the needles inthe group D since their hooks are not raised high enough by the cam 32to pick up yarn at the auxiliary throat opening While the short buttneedles SN in group D are passing the withdrawn shedding can: 127 andauxiliary stitch cam 126 with the needle cylinder rotating in acounter-clockwise direction in 14, both the cams 12.6 and 127 are movedinwardly toward the needle cylinder by movement of the main pattern drumtill and through the link- 8 age previously described. The shedding earn127 is moved inwardly far enough so it will engage and raise the MNneedles in group E but will miss the MSN needles in group E and miss allthe short butt needles SN in both of the groups E and F. At the sametime, the auxiliary stitch earn 126 is moved inwardly towards the needlecylinder far enough to engage the butts and lower the MSN needles ingroup E and the MN needles in group P.

Thus with rotation of the needle cylinder, the butts of the MSN needlesin group E will ride up the cam 32 to the yarn receiving level 201 totravel a pathway P2 and then engage and pass beneath the auxiliarystitch earn 126. The butts of the needles SN in group E will ride up theinclined surface of the two-level cam 82, to the low level 2522 andtravel a level pathway P3 (FIGURE 13) since the butts of the SN needlesare not long enough to engage the shedding cam 127 or stitch cam 126when in their present positions. Since none of the needles in group Eare raised by the shedding cam 127, the stitch loops thereon, which wereformed at the main knitting station llZ-tl in the course 0-2 and walesW-4 through W-9, will not be moved below the latches of these needlesand therefore will not be shed as these needles are lowered by theauxiliary stitch cam 126. The yarn a fed to the MSN needles in group Eat the auxiliary throat opening 43 will be laid in the hooks of the SNneedles in group E also as it is drawn down by the MSN needles in groupE. Stitches are not drawn at this point with the yarn a but laid in thehooks of all the needles in group E to join with the main yarn in indrawing stitches in course C3, as more fully described hereinafter.

Since the needle shedding cam 127 and stitch cam 126 are both movedinwardly far enough to engage the MN needles in group F, the butts ofthese needles will follow a pathway P 1 (FIGURE 13), over the sheddingcam 127 and beneath the stitch cam 126 to draw stitches in wales W-Iid,V i-l2 and W-Il l in the auxiliary course C2a (FIGURE 8). The butts ofthe SN needles in group P will follow the pathway P3 and will pick upyarn in their hooks as the yarn is pulled down by the MN needles. Asgroup F passes the knitting station 125, the SN needles will not belowered by the stitch cam 126 so that the yarn a is merely held in thehooks of these SN needles in group F and shed when these needles drawstitches at the main knitting station. This shed yarn is illustratedpassing behind the stitches in wales W41, W433 and (V-l5 in course C2aand the beginning of course (2-3.

When the MN needles in group G reach the shedding cam 127, they will allbe raised to take yarn from the auxiliary finger 5i and then lowered bythe stitch cam to draw stitches therewith and form the stitch loops inwales V i-l6 through W-Zd and succeeding wales, not shown, in courseC2a. After the groups E and F have passed the auxiliary knitting station125', the shedding cam 127 and stitch cam 126 are moved inwardly tofully operative position to engage the butts of all of the variouslength needles in the needle cylinder 21 so that with each succeedingrotation of the needle cylinder, all of the needles will pass throughand draw stitches at the auxiliary knitting station 125.

As the needles in group E approach the main knitting station 12%), whenknitting the course C3, the needles in group E, all of which have theaum'liary yarn a already held in their hooks, will pick up the main bodyyarn m from the yarn feeding finger 47 and pass through the stitch earnsto thus draw the stitches indicated in wales W-d through W-9 with bothyarns a and m. All the needles in group F will take the main body yarn mat the yarn feeding finger 47 and draw single stitches in every wale W49through W-l5 therewith. As the SN needles are raised by the earn 112 theyarn a will be moved below the latches of the needles and will be shedwhen the stitches of the yarn in in wales W-ll, W43 and W-le" are drawn.All the needles in the group G and succeeding groups will pass throughthe main knitting station to draw single stitch loops as shown in thewales W-16 through W-24 in course 03.

Since, by this time the shedding cam 127 and auxiliary stitch cam 126will have moved into fully operative position, all of the needles in allgroups will pass over the shedding cam 127 and below the stitch cam 126to form a course of single yarn stitch loops from the yarn a asillustrated in course C-3a. Thus with each revolution of the needlecylinder, two courses are formed. This double course knitting iscontinued throughout the length of the leg 212 (FIGURE 6) and beforestarting the heel pocket, indicated at 213 (FIGURE 6), the machine againswitches to single feed knitting.

The foregoing matter of eyelet closure may be summarized with particularreference to the yarn handling involved as follows:

As the needles of group E leave the stitch cam 113, having drawn mainyarn, the longer butt needles of group E rise up cam 20%! to the level 1-2, which is a tuck level (though tucking is not produced on theseneedles), i.e., an uncleared level. They pass the earn 127 withoutfurther rise and are then depressed by the stitch cam 126 drawing theauxiliary yarn over the ledges of the sinkers but without drawingstitches since the loops drawn at the main feed have not been clearedand accordingly have not been cast off, still remaining in the hooks ofthe needles as the needles reach the bottom of cam 126. As the longerbutt needles of group E pass the level P-3 of the shorter butt needlesof the same group E, the auxiliary yarn passes outside the hooks ofthese shorter butt needles, the path of the auxiliary yarn at this pointbeing still outward and away from the needle shanks in its tangentialapproach from the feed throat to the needle circle. Thus, as the drawingof the auxiliary yarn is completed it is outside the shanks of theshorter butt needles, and when both sets of needles of this group joineach other beyond cam 125, the auxiliary yarn has the same relationshipto both sets. In the subsequent rise to the level of approach to am 112the needles of the group B now contain both the loops of main yarnpreviously drawn at the main feed and a length of auxiliary yarn drawnat the auxiliary feed. As the sinkers are withdrawn in the reapproach tothe main feed the loose length of the auxiliary yarn, which is not boundin any way to the needles moves outwardly with the sinkers to a radialposition beyond the spoons of the open latches. As clearing takes placeover the cam 112 the loops of main yarn pass below the latches but, ofcourse, tightly engage the shanks of the needles.

Now, as the needles pass down the cam 12% and the cam 1.13 the lowerends of the latches pass within the outwardly bowed length of theauxiliary yarn, as shown in FIGURES 15 and 16, so that this yarn isagain positioned above the needle latch and during this downwardmovement of the needles, the sinkers are moved inwardly to carry theauxiliary yarn into the hooks of the needles of group E. In the sameoperation the main yarn is taken by the needles of this group, and atthe bottom of earn 113 loops of the auxiliary yarn and of the portion ofthe main yarn most recently introduced are drawn together through thecleared loops of main yarn previously positioned on the needle shanks.There thus follows the double loops shown in FIGURE 8 in the wales W-4to W-9.

When switching from multiple feed knitting to single feed knitting, thetrailing end of the auxiliary yarn a is again tied in with the main yarnin before removing this yarn to prevent openings, eyelets or cat-eyes inthe fabric at the juncture of the leg and heel pockets 213. As is wellknown, the heel pocket 213 is knit by reciprocatory knitting on only aportion of the needles in the needle cylinder, and in this case, aconventional Y heel is knit on the needles in groups C, D, E, F and G.In order to knit the heel pocket on only these five groups of needles,

it is necessary to switch the needles in groups A, B and H upwardly toinoperative position by use of the switching cam 96 (FIGURE 7) which ismoved into operative position, during the last counter-clockwise rotarymovement of the needle cylinder, far enough to engage and raise theneedles MLN in group H, the LN needles in group A and the MLN needles ingroup B.

When the needles in groups A, B and H are raised, during the lastcounter-clockwise movement of the needle cylinder, the auxiliaryshedding cam 127 and auxiliary stitch cam 126 are moved outwardly topartially inoperative position to engage only a few of the MN needles ingroup C and thus only alternate needles will take and draw stitches toform stitches in a pattern similar to that shown in wales W1tl throughW45 in course C-Za. As the cams 127 and 126 are withdrawn to fullyinoperative position, the yarn a in the feeding finger 50 will be laidin the hooks of a few of the needles in group C to be knit with the yarnfrom the main feeding finger during the first reciprocatory course ofthe heel pocket 213.

During this last rotary course of the leg 212, the yarn feeding fingersat the throat opening 42 are again changed so that the welt yarn w inthe finger 45 is moved into operative position a few needles before theyarn feeding finger 47 with the main yarn m removed to thus form doubleyarn stitch loops similar to those shown in wales W-16 through W14 incourse (3-2 to completely tie in the welt yarn w before removing thebody yarn m.

The heel pocket 213 is started by single feed knitting with the weltyarn w on the needles in the groups C, D, E, F and G and the usualnarrowing operation is started. The narrowing is accomplished by the useof the narrowing picks 16 and '17 to reduce the number of needlesknitting each successive partial course for a predetermined number ofpartial courses. A widening operation is then started by utilizing thewidening pick 86 (FIGURE 7) to increase the number of needles knittingin each successive partial course and continued until the desired numberof needles have been moved back into operative position and the desirednumber of partial courses have been knit. In order to complete the Yheel, it is again necessary to narrow and then widen. The drivingmechanism is then switched to drive the needle cylinder in rotary motionand all the needles are switched to lowered or operative position tostart the rotary knit foot portion 214.

Two-course knitting may again be started in the rotary knit foot portionindicated at 214- (FIGURE 6) and in a manner identical to that which themulti-feed knitting was started following the knitting of the after-welt211. Since the manner in which the two-course knitting is started in thefoot pocket 214 is identical to the manner it was started in the leg 212and heretofore described, it is not deemed necessary to again repeatthis cycle.

After completing the foot 214 the usual toe pocket 215 is made byreciprocatory knitting and in single feed knitting. It is customary tomake a few, and in this case four ring toe courses before starting thetoe pocket 215. These four ring toe courses are made with the welt yarnw and this yarn is exchanged for the body yarn m in an identical mannerto that above described and it is at this point that the auxiliary yarnfeeding finger and auxiliary stitch cam are removed and in the samemanner in which the auxiliary yarn was removed prior to knitting theheel pocket 213.

Although a particular arrangement of needles in the cylinder 21 isdescribed for use in making the ladys stocking S, it is to be understoodthat the arrangement of the needles in the cylinder 21 may be used andstill come within the scope of this invention. For instance, a greateror less number of needles may be provided in the groups B and F thanshown and although the MSN and MN needles singly alternate with the SNneedles, this alternation may be double if desired. In this case, ingroup E there would be two SN needles together, followed by two MSNneedles, etc. and in group F there would be two SN needles together,followed by two MN needles, etc. it is also to be understood that thisinvention is not limited to machines having 490 cylinder needles, sincemachines having a greater or less number of needles may be used equallyas well.

It is thus seen that a novel apparatus and method for tying in theleading and trailing ends of an auxiliary yarn have been providedwherein both ends of the auxiliary yarn m'e knit in with the main yarnto prevent cateyes, eyelets and openings where rnulti-feed knittingcommences as well as where multi-feed knitting ends.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and, although specilic terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having verticallymovable independent cylinder needles, radially movable sinkers, andfirst and second knitting stations adjacent the needle cylindercomprising the steps of feeding a main yarn to all of the needles anddrawing stitches therewith at the main knitting station during rotaryknitting of a first fabric section, during a single rotation of theneedle cylinder, introducing and feeding an auxiliary yarn to unclearedneedles in a first group of needles at the auxiliary knitting stationwithout drawing stitches therewith, feeding the auxiliary yarn toalternate cleared needles in a second group and drawing said alternateneedles to stitch level to carry said yarn into the hooks of interveninguncleared needles, feeding the auxiliary yarn to all succeeding needlesand drawing stitches with all of said succeeding needles at theauxiliary knitting station, and during subsequent rotations of theneedle cylinder, feeding the auxiliary yarn to draw stitches with all ofthe needles in the needle cylinder including all of the needles in thefirst and second groups.

2. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having verticallymovable independent cylinder needles, radially movable sinkers, andfirst and second knitting stations adjacent the needle cylindercomprising the steps of feeding a main yarn to all of the needles anddrawing stitches therewith at the main knitting station during rotaryknitting of a first fabric section, knitting a second fabric section byintroducing and feeding an auxiliary yarn to uncleared needles in afirst group of needles at the auxiliary knitting station without drawingstitches therewith, feeding the auxiliary yarn to alternate clearedneedles in a second group and drawing said alternate needles to stitchlevel to carry yarn into the hooks of intervening uncleared needles,feeding the auxiliary yarn to all succeeding needles and drawingstitches with all of said succeeding needles at the auxiliary knittingstation during a single rotation of the needle cylinder, duringsubsequent rotations of the needle cylinder feeding the auxiliary yarnto draw stitches with all of the needles in the needle cylinderincluding all of the needles in the first and second groups, andknitting a third fabric section by single course knitting by firstfeeding the auxiliary yarn to a few alternate needles only andthereafter withdra ing the auxiliary yarn to draw stitches with the mainyarn on all cylinder needles at the main knitting station only.

3. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having verticallymovable independent cylinder latch needles, radially movable sinkers,and main and auxiliary knitting stations adjacent to the needle cylindercomprising the steps of feeding a main yarn to needles and drawingstitches therewith at the main knitting station during single feedknitting of a first fabric section; during a single rotation of theneedle cylinder introducing and feeding an auxiliary yarn to unclearedneedles of a group of needles at the auxiliary knitting station anddrawing said auxiliary yarn Without drawing stitches therewith, the lastmentioned feeding being accomplished by raising certain needles of saigroup to a tuck level to receive said auxiliary yarn while otherinterspersed needles of said group move past the auxiliary knittingstation at a lower level, and by then lowering said certain needlesbelow said lower level to canry the auxiliary yarn into the hooks ofsaid interspersed needles, and feeding the aux-iliary yarn to clearedneedles succeeding said group and drawing stitches with said succeedingneedles at the auxiliary knitting station; and during subsequentrotations of the needle cylinder feeding main and auxiliary yarns todraw stitches with all of the needles in the needle cylinder to producemultifeed knitting of another fabric section.

4. A circular knitting machine comprising a needle cylinde independentlatch needles mounted in said cylinder, radially movable sinkers, anddevices associated with said needles to effect knitting including mainand auxiliary knitting stations, each including yarn feeding means, andmeans for controlling knitting, the last mentioned means comprising:means for effecting needle movements at the main knitting station andfeed of yarn thereto to produce stitches thereat during single feedknitting of a first fabric section; means for effecting at saidauxiliary knitting station during a single round of knitting rise ofcertain needles of a group to a tuck level, without clearing, rise ofother interspersed needles of the same group to a lower level withoutclearing, feed of auxiliary yarn to said contain needles, lowering ofsaid certain needles below said lower level to carry the auxiliary yarninto the hooks of said interspersed needles, and clearing of needlessucceeding said group, feed of auxiliary yarn thereto, and drawing ofstitches thereby at the auxiliary knitting station; and means foreffecting during subsequent rounds of knitting feed of both main andauxiliary yarns to needles and formation of stitches from both of saidyarns to produce multifeed knitting of another fabric section.

5. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having verticallymovable independent cylinder needles, radially movable sinkers and mainand auxiliary knitting stations adjacent to the needle cylindercomprising the steps of feeding main and auxiliary yarns to drawstitches with all of the needles in the needle cylinder to producernultifeed knitting during rotations of the needle cylinder; thenraising certain needles of a group to receive the auixiliary yarn whileother interspersed uncleared needles of the group move past theauxiliary knitting station at a lower level, lowering said certainneedles below said lower level to carry the auxiliary yarn into thehooks of said interspersed needles, and withdrawing the auxiliary yarnfollowing its reception by said certain needles; and then feeding a mainyarn only to needles including those of said group and drawing stitchestherewith at the main knitting station during single feed knitting of afabric section.

6. A circular knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, independentlatch needles mounted in said cylinder, radially movable sinkers, anddevices associated with said needles to effect knitting including mainand auxiliary knitting stations, each including yarn feeding means, andmeans for controlling knitting, the last mentioed means comprising:means for effecting during rounds of knitting feed of both main andauxiliary yarns to needles and formation of stitches from both of saidyarns to produce multifeed knitting; means for effecting at saidauxiliary knitting station rise of certain needles of a group to onelevel, rise of other interspersed needles of the same group to a lowerlevel without clearing, feed of auxiliary yarn to said certain needles,lowering of said certain needles below said lower level to carry theauxiliary yarn into the books of said interspersed needles, and removalof the auxiliary yarn following its reception by said certain needles;and means for thereafter effecting movements of needles, including thoseof said groups, at the main knitting station and feed of yarn thereto toproduce stitches thereat during single feed knitting of a fabricsection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MillerJan. 28, 1930 14 Goyette Apr. 21, 1942 Miller Oct. 10, 1950 St. PierreMay 1, 1951 McDonou-gh Feb. 14, 1961 Mahler June 13, 1961 -Belford Oct.17, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia June 14, 1939

5. A METHOD OF KNITTING ON A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE HAVING VERTICALLYMOVABLE INDEPENDENT CYLINDER NEEDLES, RADIALLY MOVABLE SINKERS AND MAINAND AUXILIARY KNITTING STATIONS ADJACENT TO THE NEEDLE CYLINDERCOMPRISING THE STEPS OF FEEDING MAIN AND AUXILIARY YARNS TO DRAWSTITCHES WITH ALL OF THE NEEDLES IN THE NEEDLE CYLINDER TO PRODUCEMULTIFEED KNITTING DURING ROTATIONS OF THE NEEDLE CYLINDER; THEN RAISINGCERTAIN NEEDLES OF A GROUP TO RECEIVE THE AUIXILIARY YARN WHILE OTHERINTERSPERSED UNCLEARED NEEDLES OF THE GROUP MOVE PAST THE AUXILIARYKNITTING STATION AT A LOWER LEVEL, LOWERING SAID CERTAIN NEEDLES BELOWSAID LOWER LEVEL TO CARRY THE AUXILIARY YARN INTO THE HOOKS OF SAIDINTERSPERSED NEEDLES, AND WITHDRAWING THE AUXILIARY YARN FOLLOWING ITSRECEPTION BY SAID CERTAIN NEEDLES; AND THEN FEEDING A MAIN YARN ONLY TONEEDLES INCLUDING THOSE OF SAID GROUP AND DRAWING STITCHES THEREWITH ATTHE MAIN KNITTING STATION DURING SINGLE FEED KNITTING OF A FABRICSECTION.